CHICAGO — Jorge Soler has officially joined the Chicago Cubs, signing a nine-year, $30 million deal that could make the 20-year-old Cuban outfielder a major piece of the team's future as it rebuilds under team president Theo Epstein.
"We think he provides a ton of potential power for us," general manager Jed Hoyer said Saturday in announcing the deal. "We scouted him heavily. It's obviously a significant commitment for us, but we feel like he fits in very well with what we're trying to do. He's the right age, the right talent, and we're excited to finally get him started here."
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Soler will start in right field and will initially report to the team's minor league facility in Mesa, Ariz., to work out and get ready for games. Hoyer wouldn't project how long it may take Soler to be ready for the majors.
"Let's get him into games first. But he's 20 years old and we're really impressed with the looks we've got in games. One thing his agents did a very good job of, they put him in a lot of games down in the Dominican," Hoyer said. "They let him play in a lot of games, and he performed, so we're hopeful that's a harbinger of good things, but it's hard to tell until he gets into games."
Soler batted .304 in seven games during the 2010 World Junior Championships, helping Cuba to a bronze medal.
"He has huge power, and it's hard to find power in today's game, and that's a big part of why we're willing to make that kind of commitment is that it is hard to find power," Hoyer said. "He's just a huge guy with bat speed and has always generated a lot of power."
Earlier this year, the Cubs signed Cuban left-hander Geraldo Concepcion, who is now pitching in Class A. The Oakland Athletics made a big splash by signing another Cuban outfielder, Yoenis Cespedes, to a four-year, $36 million contract in February. And on Friday the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig to a seven-year, $42 million deal.
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